Will Thibeau is a dedicated Catholic husband and father of five, originally from Chicago, whose life and career reflect a profound commitment to service, leadership, and principled policy advocacy. A veteran of the U.S. Army’s elite 75th Ranger Regiment, Will served as an Infantry Officer, leading cross-functional teams through multiple combat deployments in Iraq and beyond, where he built strong relationships with partnered forces and demonstrated exceptional leadership in complex, high-stakes environments.
Following his distinguished military service, Will transitioned to the private sector, joining Palantir Technologies as a Deployment Strategist. There, he leveraged his expertise to deliver artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions to military clients, honing his ability to navigate technical and operational challenges in defense technology.
As a Policy Analyst in The Heritage Foundation’s Tech Policy Center, Will drove impactful research and recommendations on critical issues such as Big Tech, antitrust action, data privacy, and free discourse policies. His work extended to the Department of Defense’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, where he contributed to shaping defense policy for an American future, drawing on his unique blend of military and technical experience.
Currently, Will serves as the Director of the American Military Project at the Claremont Institute’s Center for the American Way of Life. In this role, he leads efforts to systematically expose, evaluate, and eliminate the manifestations of ideological shifts, such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, within the personnel, programs, and policies of the U.S. military, advocating for a return to merit-based principles and a focus on national security.
A prolific writer, Will has contributed thoughtful commentary on defense policy, military readiness, and the intersection of ideology and national security to prominent outlets, including The American Conservative, The Federalist, Claremont Review of Books, and Hungarian Conservative. His expertise has been recognized on the national stage, having testified twice before the House of Representatives, where he addressed critical issues such as the risks of progressive ideologies in the U.S. military.
Will Thibeau’s career embodies a steadfast dedication to faith, family, and the defense of American principles, making him a leading voice in the fight to restore the U.S. military’s focus on readiness and effectiveness.